The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology has launched an environmental regional observatory website (http://earth.masdar.ac.ae/) offering comprehensive information for monitoring coastal processes in the UAE and the region.

 

The environmental data portal offers valuable information on the state of the Arabian Gulf including sea currents, temperature, salinity and other seawater quality parameters related to oil spills and red tides that are useful for several applications.

 

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, interim provost, said: “Being able to accurately monitor the environment of the UAE and wider region is necessary for effective natural resource management and preservation. The information this tool provides will allow tracking of environmental changes in the region in real-time.”

 

Users of the website can obtain in-depth information including forecasts for the Arabian Gulf for the next five days with hourly updates. The portal is publicly accessible but registered users will have access to advanced functions.